Chaeles a



(No Model.)

0. A. LIEB & E. LAVENS.

WEIGHING SCALE.

No. 392,617. Patented Nov. 13, 1888.

' UNITED STATES -ram arr E CHARLES A. LIEB, OF NEW YORK, AND EDWINLAVENS, OF BROOKLYN NElV YORK; SAID LAVENS ASSIGNOR TO SAID LIEB.

WElGHlNG=SCALE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,617, dated November13, 1858. Application filed March 2, 1888. Serial No. 265,970. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES A. LIEB, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and 5 Stateof New York, and EDWIN LAVENS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Brooklyn, New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Balances and Scales, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in the means for suspending thescale-beam of balances and weighing devices generally, and also ofsuspending the weight and platform of such scalebeams from it.

In the drawings the same referenceletters indicate the same parts in allthe figures.

Figure 1 illustrates a side plan View of the invention. Fig. 2illustrates a like view of an alternative construction. Fig. 3illustrates the invention in plan as applied to an ordinary druggistsbalance. Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative construction of the balanceshown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 illustrates a crosssection on the line as a: ofFig. 1. Fig. 6 illustrates a cross-section on the line y y of Fig. 2.Fig. 7 illustrates our preferred means of attaching thesuspension-strips to the supports and scale-beam. Fig. 8 illustrates oneof the suspension-strips separated from the other parts.

A is a rigid support for the scale-beam.

B is a bar or frame, to which the scale-beam is attached in any desiredmanner, or it may form part of the scale-beam,as in Figs. 3 and 4.

O C are flexible strips, which we prefer to make of metal, which areattached at their ends, respectively, to the parts A and B and fastenedin any desired manner. Their manner of attachment is such that theycross each other, as shown, and they may be made in pairs, as shown inFig. 1, at either end of the supports A and B, and also in the centralparts thereof, if desired; or they may be made as shown in Fig. 2, therebeing one spring,E, only running in one of the directions which shall betwice the width, or, in other words, shall have the same tension, as theother two springs, F F, which constitute its counterpart, running in theopposite direction.

The springs may be made in single pairs, each being of the same width,if desired 5 but the flexible strip shown separately in Fig. 8

has at each end laterally-extending logs or projections a, which restupon the upper and under surface of the support A and beam B,

respectively, there being a recess, I), cut out from the said parts Aand B,which accurately fits theflexiblestripjust below thelugs (1. Thusthe lugs rest upon the upper and under surface of the support A and beamB. respectively, as stated, and the parts A and B, being carefully madeand the flexible strips being punched with the same die,great accuracyand uniformity will result, thus securing equal lengths in' all thestrips, whereby the strain upon the several strips is distributedequally. We hold the strips in place without piercing them withscrew-holes by means of a plate or cap, 0, Fig. 7, which is held firmlyagainst the strips at their ends, clamping them firmly in their seats inthe parts A and B by screws or bolts d d, which pass through the plateor cap 0 and enter the parts A and B by the side of the strips, but donot pass through them.

Another meansby which the flexible strips may be effectively held to theparts A and B is shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 8, in which the flexiblestrips aremade in the same manner as above stated and as shown in Fig.8, excepting that the lugs have screw or bolt holes I I made throughthem; and in the sides of the supports A and B the recessed spaces abovedescribed are also formed, and on the "upper surfaces of the supports Aand B there are fastened plates K K, into the edges of which the screwsor bolts which pass through the holes I I in the flexible strips enter.There are also other plates, L L, which are substantially the same asthe plates or caps cc,which rest upon the surface of the springs andhold them down firmly in the recesses prepared for them by means ofscrews or bolts d, in the manner already described. In Fig. 3' we showat X a weight which is supported on a bar,X, extending upwardly from thescale-beam. As this weight moves with the oscillation of the scale-beamit passes vaway from the line of gravity, andtherel'ore aids thematerial being weighed to depress the beam, thus rendering the operationof theapparatus more positive and speedy.

The advantages secured by our invention over-all other means ofsuspendingscale-beanis, balances, &e., known to us are- First. Thelonger the flexible strips are, within certain limits, thebetter,because it requires less power to bend them and there is lessliability to fracture; If, however, a single strip be used, which is ofanyconsiderable length, the place where it will bend, or, in otherwords, form a fnlcr'uimcannot be determined definitely. It may bend atthe top or bottom instead of at its central porti0n,where it shouldbend, and if so the location of the fulcrum is changed, and consequentlythe leverage altered and its accuracy impaired. By using a plurality ofstrips-crossing each other,

i' however, each strip acts as a foil or restraint on the others,compelling flexure at or near the median line of them all. I

Second. When a weight is carelessly or sud denly thrown on the platformor receiver in any direction excepting in a truly vertical line, thereis a tendency to twist the scalebeam or balance-beam, and when supportedupon a single flexible strip this sidewise force frequently snaps thestrip; and this objection also presents itself during transportation ofthe apparatus where they are subjected to jar steel? or shock, so muchso that we have been cont pellcd to disorganize ,certain classes ofweighing apparatus madeby us and remove thestrips during transportation,necessitating the reassembling of the machine at its destination.

We do not limit ourselves to the details of construction shown, becausealterations can be made therein and still our invention be employed. J

Having described our invention,we claim 1. The combination of a scalebeam or balance and its support and flexible strips which cross eachother connecting the scale-beam or balance and its support,substantially asset forth.

2. The combination of 'a scale beam or balance and its support andstrips crossing each other connecting the scale beam or balance and itssupport, the size and construction of the strips being such that thesame power is required to move the scale-beam in either di reetion whenhorizontal, substantially asset forth.

3. The combination, in a scale or balance, of a beam. a support forthebeam, double T- shaped strips crossing each other connecting the beamand its support, and means to hold the ends of the strips firmly againstthe beam and its support, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 28th day 0i February, A. D. 1888.

' CHARLES A. LIEB.

EDWIN LAVENS. Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, S. B. ROGERS.

